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on, Piano ManThere are very few that could ever write a ballad like Billy Joel. With hits like "Piano Man", "Just the Way you Are" and "Honesty", this entertainer is sure to go down in history as one of the greatest crooners of the slow songs of all time. Joel hasn't done too badly on the top 40 lists either with catchy tunes like "Only the Good Die Young" and "Movin' Out". Joel earned his label as a pop music icon by the early eighties, after finding success in the late 1970's with the release of "The Stranger". However, the road to stardom was a long one for Joel, and there were many pitfalls along the way.
Born in the Bronx, this young talent spent most of his adolescent years fighting and studying piano. When he saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, he decided that his aspirations were toward a professional music career, and by the age of sixteen he had quit high school to perform music full time. He hooked up with a band known as the Echoes, and this group found local success in New York that led to some recording efforts. This gig led to the formation of a few other bands, none of which met with the success that Joel had hoped.
After dealing with many personal and professional crises, Joel finally found his way to Columbia Records, where he first released "Piano Man" and other albums that gradually climbed to the top of the charts like "The Stranger", "52nd Street" and "Glass Houses". Joel continued to enjoy success throughout the eighties with the release of "An Innocent Man" and "The Bridge". Today, Joel still writes and performs music and has dabbled in writing children's books with the publication of his first book, "Goodnight My Angel: A Lullaby" in 2004.
If you have a Billy Joel fan on your list, we have the perfect gift for you. This autographed photo of the musician is filled with atmosphere and magic of Joel's music. The photo depicts a younger Joel assuming his position at his piano, crooning into a microphone. You can almost hear the lyrics to "Just the Way You Are" resonating from the picture! This photo comes complete with Joel's autograph, and is tastefully matted and framed so it is ready for hanging on your wall. What a perfect gift for the Billy Joel fan in your life. Play on, Piano Man.